An apparatus couples two storage and/or transport units, for instance in the form of vessels, containers, tubes and/or the like, for a transfer of a product from a first storage and/or transport unit having a first closing flap in a first pipe socket at a first end and in an active connection with at least one shaft into a second storage and/or transport unit having a second closing flap in a second pipe socket at a second end and in an active connection with the at least one shaft. The closing flaps are movable from a closed position, wherein the first closing flap tightly closes the first storage and/or transport unit off from the atmosphere at the first end, the second closing flap tightly closes the second storage and/or transport means off from the atmosphere at the second end and wherein the two closing flaps and/or the two pipe sockets are movable relative to one another into a cleaning position. The two closing flaps and/or the two pipe sockets are spaced from one another upon limitation of a cleaning space connectable to a cleaning device. Upon actuation of the at least one shaft into an open position, the closing flaps lie on one another. At least one flow-through opening for the product is open from the first storage and/or transport unit into the second storage and/or transport unit. The flaps are movable from the open position into the cleaning position upon actuation of the at least one shaft as well as into the closed position.
Such an apparatus is disclosed, for example, by DE 195 20 409 C1, whereby the cleaning device comprises a blower and extraction device that enables a cleaning of the closing flaps with a gas before and/or after a product transfer or refilling event is to be accomplished with the apparatus. A seal is thereby utilized that, given a spacing of the closing flaps of, preferably, less than 15 mm, disadvantageously seals the space situated between the closing flaps, i.e. the impact chamber, off from the outside, with the exception of the regions of the bearing shells thereof. Given the known apparatus, there is the risk of contamination of both the product to be refilled as well as of the atmosphere. Due to leakage, a cleaning of the impact chamber is also impossible.
A sealing of the impact chamber from at least a part of the closing flaps is disclosed by DE 299 15 973 An interspace between the closing flaps that is sealed relative to the impact chamber thereby assures that dust that is potentially stirred up due to a scrubbing cannot proceed onto the end face regions, and the extraction cross-section for a cleaning gas, protective atmosphere and/or the like together with particles to be removed is made smaller at the same time, so that the volume stream for the extraction is increased and a greater extraction power is created.
GB Letters Patent 888,541 also discloses a device for coupling two containers, whereby the pipe sockets are rotatable relative to one another, so that a bayonet closure is locked or unlocked and, at the same time, the closing flaps are forced from the closed position into the open position or from the open position into the closed position by turning the pipe sockets relative to one another, so that the locking position coincides with the open position. Such a lock is particularly disadvantageous in that the closing flaps can unintentionally detach from one another while changing from the closed position into the open position or vice versa, also due to the employment of only one bayonet closure. Moreover a cleaning before and/or after a refilling event in the open position is not possible in a locked condition in order to avoid contamination of the atmosphere and/or the product to be refilled.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve an apparatus such that the disadvantages of the Prior Art are overcome, particularly such that a cleaning of the cleaning space, even in the region of the bearing of the closing flaps, is possible without contaminating the atmosphere and/or a product to be refilled. Moreover, a dependable closing of the closing flaps and/or pipe sockets relative to one another should be assured before opening the flow-through opening(s) for a refilling event as well as after closing the flow-through opening(s), particularly in the cleaning position.
This object is achieved by a first, essentially annular seal between the first closing flap and the first pipe socket, a second essentially annular seal between the second closing flap and the second pipe socket, a third essentially annular seal between the first pipe socket and the second pipe socket and a fourth essentially annular seal between the second pipe socket and a second shaft section that cooperates with at least one shaft and is firmly connected to the second closing flap, whereby the first, second, third and fourth seals seal the cleaning space off from both the atmosphere as well as the product.